AUGUST 6 - WEDNESDAY - DAY 22

I AM COMFORTABLE IN THE RAFT NOW AND HAVE PERFECTED THE ART OF RAFT NAPPING . I LAY BACK AND LOOK AT THE SKY FOR HOURS , SOMETIMES BLUE - SOMETIMES FILLED WITH STARS. AT TIMES I FALL ASLEEP AND WAKE UP SOMEWHERE VASTLY DIFFERENT FROM WHEN I FELL ASLEEP . I DO WORRY THAT I WILL BE SLEEPING AND COME UPON A WATERFALL OR ANGRY RAPIDS AND REGRET MY LACK OF DILIGENCE. BUT IT HAS BEEN SUCH A LAZY RIVER FOR A WHILE NOW AND I AM LULLED INTO COMPLACENCY.

I FREQUENTLY WAKE UP GENTLY BEACHED ON FINE BLACK SAND THAT RUNS CONTINUOUS ALONG THESE BANKS AND I AM NONE THE WORSE OFF. I RIDE A BLUE ARTERY THROUGH A LONG DESERTED PRAIRIE . PEOPLE MAY HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME AGO , BUT THEY AREN'T HERE NOW.

THEN THERE'S THE MATTER OF THE CAMERA LEFT BY THE SUBMARINERS . IT'S METAL BODY IS HOT TO THE TOUCH AND IT FEELS HEAVY. IT FEELS ODD TO BE USING 35MM FILM AGAIN. LET ME SEE IF I HAVE THIS RIGHT

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THERE IS AN INFORMAL JUNGLE OF A GARDEN ON PHINNEY RIDGE. IT IS 817 PM AND THE SUN HANGS LOW AND RED IN THE SKY. MOST OF THE YARD IS IN SHADE. A SHOULDER HIGH WOOD FENCE SURROUNDS THE PLACE AND FROM NOWHERE A BLACK AND WHITE CAT FLOATS ACROSS THE TOP WITH AN IMPOSSIBLE EASE . I THINK IT IS A TOM AND HE TOTALLY IGNORES ME .
ABRUPTLY HE FREEZES. ONE FRONT PAW LIFTED, HIS HEAD SNAPS TOWARDS THE GARDEN AND THERE IS COMPLETE ABSENCE OF MOTION. HE IS MADE OF STONE.

ONE EAR SCANS RIGHT TO LEFT . FOR A MOMENT I GLIMPSE THE ENORMITY OF WHAT I DO NOT SENSE . I THINK EVERY MOUSE, EVERY SNAIL, EVERY MOTH IS ON HIS RADAR SCREEN . SOUNDS AND SMELLS POUR INTO HIM THAT I WILL NEVER KNOW . AND IN THAT MOMENT HE IS MAGNIFICENT.

WHEN HE MOVES AGAIN IT IS WITH GREAT PURPOSE , EVEN URGENCY . HE DROPS TOWARDS THE GROUND AND ON THE WAY DOWN ONE PAW TAGS AN ORNAMENTAL ROCK. HE DECELARATES AND COMES TO THE GROUND IN SILENCE . FOR THREE SECONDS HE COMPACTS HIMSELF, EARS ARE BOTH AIMED FORWARD , HIS EYES ARE LASERS AND HE IS LOCKED ON. THE MOTION IS LIKE AN ARROW WHEN HE DARTS INTO THE CROWDED SHRUB AND FOLIAGE . IN A MOMENT I FEEL REGRET FOR THE OTHER END OF THIS TRANSACTION. BUT IN THIS WORLD THE LAWS ARE UNEQUIVOCAL . I STAND FOR A WHILE ENTHRALLED BY WHAT I CAN NOT DISCERN.

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WHICH IS TO SAY , ALL REMAINS WELL IN THE CLINIC, COUNTS ARE RISING ON THEIR OWN , EVERYTHING LOOKS VERY GOOD AND WE HOPE TO KEEP IT THAT WAY . I ONLY VISIT STAMPEDE CENTRAL TWICE A WEEK NOW SO I AM VENTURING OUT A BIT . THE JOURNEY SEEMS TO STRETCH QUITE A LONGS WAYS OUT FROM HERE .

I'M IN FOR THE RIDE , KHUN CHUCK